Date/Time
Date(s) - January 27, 2023
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
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Location
Clyde’s of Gallery Place
GreenCity Eco-district Development
In October 2021, Henrico County VA granted entitlements that would allow for the development of GreenCity, a 200-acre planned eco-district in the greater Richmond area for up to 2 million square feet of office, hotel, retail, and residential uses, as well as a 17,000-seat arena.
What sets GreenCity apart from other mixed-use developments is its focus on sustainability at a district scale, with net zero energy and carbon benchmarks that its developers believe better align with a growing number of companies who have made climate goals a key part of their ESG corporate commitments. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues have become a priority for American business, especially for the largest public companies. According to an August 2022 report by ‘McKinsey & Company’, more than 90% of fortune 500 companies now publish an ESG report in some form.
Smaller, non-fortune 500 companies, are also signing on to a variety of public pledges that mandate corporate sustainability commitments by certain dates. These include The Climate Pledge for carbon neutrality, RE100 that commits to sourcing 100% renewable energy, and the Science Based Targets initiative that provides for companies to regularly track their commitments to self-imposed carbon reduction pledges.
GreenCity developers have also recently unveiled initial design concepts for one of the first buildings proposed that would accomplish sustainability goals on an unprecedented scale – the renovation of the former Best Products Headquarters building – turning it into the largest Living Building Challenge project in the U.S. at 280,000 S.F.
Michael Hallmark Bio
Michael Hallmark is an architect and developer known for his work in the design and development of sports and entertainment venues throughout the US and overseas. Encouraged by the success of projects like Staples Center and LA Live, and the rebirth of downtown Phoenix through his work on venues for Phoenix Suns and AZ Diamondbacks as urban place-maker projects, Michael founded Future Cities, a non-traditional real estate practice focused on the creation of special districts leveraging unique venues. Prior to the formation of Future Cities, Michael was founder and director of two of the nation’s leading sports planning and design firms, Ellerbe Becket (now AECOM) and NBBJ Sports. Under his leadership, his firms designed Staples Center Arena in Los Angeles and NBA/NHL arenas in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Buffalo, Cleveland, St. Louis, Tampa, Phoenix, Portland; new MLB ballparks Turner Field, Chase Field, Miller Park, and Safeco Field, and NFL venues in Philadelphia and the American Architecture award winning Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH.